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 You can be honest and still sell your story Find the right audience and you minimize the negatives  Example -- story is: A 5-day winter backpacking trip in Holy Cross Wilderness in Colorado — you dug an igloo to sleep in, and you didn't see another human the whole time you were away… For Travel + Leisure: Probably too negative (prefer spa in Aspen) For Backpacker -- Better fit

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 Don’t banish “negatives” altogether Reader deserves your honest assessment Include negatives as caveats and offer solutions  For Backpacker: Park is high up and hard to get to You could say: "Hiking at 8,000-13,000 feet can be grueling, even for somebody used to those altitudes. But if you're coming from a lower elevation, be warned: altitude sickness can bring with it nausea, diarrhea, headaches, and shortness of breath. Nothing you can't avoid, though, by arriving a few days before your trip so your body has time to acclimate. Plus you'll want to be sure you take a bottle of Tylenol and some Tums on the trail.” You could say: "Make sure you rent a 4-wheel-drive vehicle for your trip as it can be treacherous at times getting from Denver to the park's entrance. It's worth the effort, though. The views are glorious, and because few travelers want to be bothered battling the snow on those narrow, curvy roads, the trails in the park are, as a result, virtually empty. It's like having the whole of the West to yourself."

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 Focus on the solutions Don't say: "Make sure you're out of neighborhood x by nightfall. The place is known for its violent crimes, and you won't want to be caught off- guard." Instead, say: "Plan your visit to neighborhood x during the day, when it's perfectly safe there. Then head for the evening to neighborhood y for dinner at restaurant z. There you'll find the best Mexican food in town."

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 You need a “summer” story and photos but it’s March  It’s raining the whole time you’re “on the ground”

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 Research with summer in mind What’s on the calendars? Ask what it’s like in summer (look for postcards) Cover (and shoot photos) of your hometown all year  Look for color anywhere you can find it Macro shots at florist Inside restaurants People with colorful clothing Interesting facades

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 You want to write about “your” trip… you’re a character in it maybe you were “transformed” in some way  This is more difficult to sell Fewer outlets Harder to write

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 Telling a story with “I” Shows a reader that you were there. Gives you some authority.  But don’t get in the way You still need a central idea, a “theme” You are not the story -- the story is the story

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13 When we arrived at the site for the glacier ride, it was raining. We wondered if we would be able to see anything. We climbed into the helicopter, fastened our seat belts and off we went soaring high into the clouds. The ride was as smooth as silk. We rose from sea level to alpine ridges in a matter of seconds. The rain didn't prevent us from viewing this incredible journey beyond civilization. We flew over deep crevasses and around jagged spires. Our pilot described our glacial journey through individual headsets that we wore.

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14 Rain poured down as we climbed into the helicopter for the glacier ride, and we wondered if it would hinder the views. But smooth as silk, the helicopter rose from sea level to alpine ridges in a matter of seconds to reveal a dramatic display of the icy landscape's deep crevasses and jagged spires. Along the way, the pilot pointed out things to look for and offered interesting tidbits about the region.

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15 Example 1 When we arrived at the site for the glacier ride, it was raining. We wondered if we would be able to see anything. We climbed into the helicopter, fastened our seat belts and off we went soaring high into the clouds. The ride was as smooth as silk. rose We from sea level to alpine ridges in a matter of seconds. The rain didn't prevent us from viewing this incredible journey beyond civilization. We flew over deep crevasses and around jagged spires. Our pilot described our glacial journey through individual headsets that we wore. Example 2 Rain poured down as we climbed into the helicopter for the glacier ride, and we wondered if it would hinder the views. But smooth as silk, the helicopter rose from sea level to alpine ridges in a matter of seconds to reveal a dramatic display of the icy landscape's deep crevasses and jagged spires. Along the way, the pilot pointed out things to look for and offered interesting tidbits about the region.

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 Avoid recounting your every thought and reaction Instead of: I thought the warm, rich flavors of ginger and garlic in the pumpkin soup made it the perfect cold-weather lunch. Say: The warm, rich flavors of ginger and garlic in the pumpkin soup make it the perfect cold-weather lunch.

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 Go easy on “me” phrases Instead of: "The bartender told me it had been the quietest season he'd experienced in the last decade." Say: "The bartender said it had been the quietest season he'd experienced in the last decade."

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 Try not to use “I,” “me,” “we,” or “us” more than once or twice a paragraph.

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 Turn to “you”  Think about what your reader would want Instead of: “We discovered that with another meal plan we could have dined at five other nearby restaurants, to which Round Hill would arrange transportation.” Say: “Another meal plan allows you to dine at five other nearby restaurants, for which Round Hill can arrange transportation.”

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